Synopsis
The present work is intended to establish whether an improvement of the current code specifications for the earthquake-resistant design of exterior beam-column joints can be achieved through the use of existing knowledge on the subject. It is based on a comparative study of published experimental information on the behaviour of exterior beam-column joints with code predicted values and the predictions of a number of already proposed design formulae that are expressed in a simplified form suitable for practical applications. As the development of these formulae is based on various theoretical considerations regarding the transfer of forces and failure mechanisms within the joint, the comparative study provides an indication of, not only each formula's ability to form a suitable basis for earthquake resistant design, but also the ability of the underlying theory to realistically describe the causes of the observed structural behaviour. It is shown that current knowledge is sufficiently lacking for a reappraisal of current code provisions that could lead to a significant improvement of the earthquake resistant design of exterior beam-column joints.